More and more gaming machines are offering games which have bonus features. These bonus game features are, normally, in the form of secondary features resulting from a trigger condition in a base game. The features often have higher payouts than the underlying base game. It is necessary to ensure that a theoretical return to player of a gaming machine incorporating such a feature does not exceed a certain amount which would render the gaming machine unprofitable to an operator of the gaming machine.
Legislation in various jurisdictions provides that a gaming machine must return a predetermined minimum amount, on average, to players. In the jurisdiction of New South Wales, Australia, the minimum return to player is set at 85% of the total amount wagered. Operators of the gaming machines are aware of this value and budget to receive their percentage as operating costs and as a source of revenue.
Were the gaming machines to exceed the minimum return to player, it could become unprofitable for operators of the gaming machines.
Further, certain of the game features offer the player various options where an apparent exercise of skill may be involved. This apparent exercise of skill may give the appearance of affecting the average return to player of the game. However, in reality, to ensure that the machines remain profitable for operators thereof, the exercise of skill by the player cannot affect the average return to player but may affect the outcome of the feature.